


The Commander's Mabari

by hurdlelocker



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen, Post-Dragon Age: Inquisition - Trespasser DLC, Ysella's been married for a day but she's already got that long-suffering wife thing down
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:35:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24648823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hurdlelocker/pseuds/hurdlelocker
Summary: How Cullen Rutherford and Ysella Trevelyan named their mabari.
Relationships: Cullen Rutherford/Female Trevelyan, Female Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	The Commander's Mabari

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, of course. Why? What would you have me do? Leave him here?”

Ysella Trevelyan sighed resignedly at her husband, “No, of course not. But he’s your responsibility.”

Cullen’s eyes lit up and a huge grin split his face, making him look less like the beleaguered Commander she had fallen in love with and more like the mabari he was crouched near. The man shot up like a spring and planted a kiss on his wife, who rolled her eyes and smiled. After the events of the past couple of days, this distraction was more than welcome.

It wasn’t that she had anything against mabari, per se, but no Marcher could ever comprehend the depths of the connection between a Ferelden and a mabari. Even (or, rather, _especially_ ) if said Ferelden and mabari just met a day ago.

“Well, what’s his name?” Ysella asked, indicating toward the mabari with what used to be her left arm and scoffing in irritation at the stump when she realized what she had done.

“Well, every Ferelden and their uncle names their mabari ‘Hafter’ or ‘Dane’ after the legends, so I want to do something different…” Cullen mused, trailing off into his thoughts.

“Aren’t those the names of Queen Maeryn and Sian Hawke’s mabari?” Ysella asked.

“Hmmm? Oh, yes, even more reason…” he said as he took his eyes off the war dog to stare at the empty space on the wall and continue contemplating possible names.

No matter how many they threw out, none seemed to fit perfectly. Suddenly, midway through their deliberations, the mabari sat straight up and sprinted out of the room so quickly that all they saw of him on his way out was his stubby little tail wagging madly

After sharing a glance, Cullen bolted after his Mabari. Ysella followed reluctantly.

They tore through the halls of Halamshiral, chasing the skittering of claws on marble. Cullen’s distress was plain on his face and deepened into embarrassed anguish when he attempted to call the nameless hound, opening and closing his mouth without making a sound. Ysella’s focus was on maintaining her balance due to the recent loss of her arm; it was annoyingly difficult to remain upright with her center of balance so off-kilter. Despite her focus, her rogue’s ears were able to detect the faint sound of a suspicious, but familiar, giggle underscoring the heavy sounds of mabari and warrior sprinting.

The hallway ended abruptly and they skittered to a stop in front of a room they knew was empty - or was supposed to be. 

“Who’s a good boy? Who’s a fierce mabari? You are!”

Cullen’s brow furrowed, the lines deepening when he heard the crunching of mabari teeth eating something. Ysella hid her grin until he stepped forward enough that he wouldn’t see it--he got the same look on his face when he was about to tear some poor recruit a new one. Clearly, he had not recognized the familiar voice he’d heard so often in the Undercroft talking to his precious new friend. 

He threw open the door and his furious look turned to confusion when he saw the scene before him: his new war hound rolled onto his back, tongue lolling in an excited and dopey grin, looking up expectantly at a blonde elf and a ginger dwarf, who were both holding cookies above his head and giggling.

“Maker’s Breath! Sera! Dagna! What are you two doing?!” Cullen exclaimed.

“Heya, Cully-Wully! Just playing with Cookie here!” Sera replied with an impish grin.

“Cookie?! You can’t name a _war hound_ **Cookie**!” The Commander’s protests were cut short however, by Cookie leaping off the ground at the sound of his apparent name and throwing his paws up on Cullen’s chest to give him kisses.

Staring in the big brown eyes and dopey mabari grin, Cullen ran a hand through his curly hair and held the back of his neck. His other hand moved automatically to rumple the mabari’s ears. Heaving a massive sigh, he looked between the mabari, the elf, the dwarf, and his wife, all of whom were smiling broadly.

“Fine. _Ser_ Cookie it is then.”


End file.
